This invention relates generally to articles for displaying retail merchandise and, more specifically, to display racks for prominently retaining and presenting helium-filled novelty balloons generally at eye level in neat, untangled, and orderly fashion in retail settings.
The increasing popularity of lighter-than-air balloons, such as helium-filled novelty balloons, presents a unique problem for retailers. By their nature, these buoyant balloons are difficult to display when inflated in a manner that makes it easy for the consumer to see the graphics on the face of the balloons. One widely-used device for displaying helium balloons consists of a so-called xe2x80x9cBalloon Corral(copyright),xe2x80x9d such as a confined area delimited by fish line, suspended, for example by chains, at or some distance just below the ceiling of a retail establishment. Such a xe2x80x9cBalloon Corral(copyright)xe2x80x9d keeps the balloons from blowing and moving around the store. Once a consumer selects a balloon, the balloon can be removed from the corral for purchase by pulling down on the tether, i.e., the string or ribbon affixed to the balloon""s neck near the inflation opening in the bottom of the balloon, until the balloon sinks below the outer frame of the corral and can be removed for purchase.
Such a xe2x80x9cBalloon Corral(copyright)xe2x80x9d has many serious shortcomings. First, because the xe2x80x9cBalloon Corral(copyright)xe2x80x9d is mounted at or near the ceiling, the balloons are typically 10 to 12 feet above the floor, which makes it difficult for consumers to see the graphics printed on the faces of the balloons, and to see which tether line belongs to a desired balloon, in order to select one or more desired balloons. Consumers have to strain their necks to look upward toward the ceiling at the balloons in the xe2x80x9cBalloon Corral(copyright)xe2x80x9d, and some consumers even have difficulty reaching the balloon tethers. Since the graphics of the balloons are normally printed on the generally flat front and rear faces of the typically mylar-type novelty balloons, the haphazard placement of balloons in the corral may visually hide the graphics. This requires consumers to pull on the balloon tethers to rearrange and re-orient the balloons in order to see the graphics of each of the inflated balloons on display. Also, the balloons with graphics for different seasonal themes and sentiments are typically mixed together. Frequently, balloons are accidentally pulled out of the Balloon Corral(copyright) by consumers to allow viewing of the graphics. Then, if the consumer does not desire a particular balloon, he or she may simply release the tether, allowing the balloon to rise to blow around on the ceiling of the retail establishment outside the Balloon Corral(copyright).
This can be particularly problematic, for example in drug stores, discount stores, convenience stores, and grocery stores, in which novelty items such as novelty balloons may be in a corral in a floral or greeting card department because retrieving the novelty balloons may be very difficult. The high ceilings of the growing number of warehouse-style bulk merchandise club stores also make it difficult to retrieve errant balloons, even by their tethers, once the balloons are released from the corrals. Air conditioning systems also have a tendency to blow balloons out of the corrals. Another drawback to the Balloon Corral(copyright) is that sensitive motion detectors in many retail store security systems have a tendency to trigger false intruder alarms due to any movement of the balloons within the corrals, needlessly dispatching security personnel or police officers to the retail location. Yet another drawback to the Balloon Corral(copyright) is the difficulty of servicing it, such as when balloon tethers become tangled in the fish line, because of the corral""s proximity to the ceiling. A high ladder or automatic lift device is often required, which may not be readily available at the retailer""s facility.
Another type of rack for displaying balloons is shown in U.S. Design Pat. No. D 400,372. That design patent shows a two-tiered rack, both tiers being generally square, and having a downwardly-open clamp below the lower tier, with a threaded bolt, for mounting the rack. The apparent manner of use of the balloon rack shown in that design patent is to tie each balloon tether to one of the outwardly-projecting, upwardly-bent flanges provided on the lower tier only, with the relatively larger and higher second tier being used to separate the balloon tethers from one another to avoid tangling of the balloon tethers.
While such a balloon rack permits display of buoyant balloons at a generally lower height than that of the xe2x80x9cBalloon Corral(copyright),xe2x80x9d it requires tying the tether of the balloon to the lower tier for securement. Since most balloon tethers are string or ribbon, the tying for securement and untying by the consumer for purchase or viewing often causes undesirable fraying of the tether, or simply permits them, if not properly re-tied to the display rack, to undesirably float up to the store""s ceiling.
Recently, balloon weights have become commonplace as the desired devices for securing lighter-than-air balloons against floating to the ceiling of retail establishments, and later, as convenient handles and tether weights for the ultimate consumer. One such balloon weight has a circular profile and is in the shape of a spool, wherein a lowermost end of the tether is secured to or near the center of the spool, such as the type of balloon weight shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,314. Another spool-type balloon weight is available from Premium Balloon Accessories(copyright) of Sharon Center, Ohio under the trade name xe2x80x9cPremium Ribbon Weight(trademark)xe2x80x9d. That spool-type balloon weight can be used to selectively release desired lengths of the tether of the balloon and provide a useful handle for consumers, including children, to hold the balloon and prevent it from floating away when they exit the retail building.
The Premium Ribbon Weight(trademark) initially includes a flat plastic balloon coupling member integral with a generally spool-shaped plastic disc. A V-shaped weakened groove is provided along the area of attachment between the balloon coupling member and the spool-shaped disc. The balloon coupling member includes a double-sided adhesive strip on one side thereof, and a ribbon-receiving aperture or slit is provided in the center of the coupling member. One end of a length of tether ribbon is secured through the ribbon-receiving aperture, looped about the balloon coupling member, and secured to the balloon coupling member by a first side of the double-sided adhesive strip.
Prior to attachment to the inflation valve neck area of a novelty balloon, the balloon coupling member is broken away from the spool-shaped member by snapping the two components apart along the weakened V-shaped groove. The second side of the double-sided adhesive strip is provided with a removable backing, so that the second side can be exposed when the backing is removed for adhesive attachment of the balloon coupling member to a balloon. The remainder of the length of ribbon is tightly wrapped in the spool-type weight.
For large inflated buoyant novelty balloons, a thicker and heavier spool-type balloon weight is used to counter the extra lift of the larger balloons. Other spool-type balloon weights having circular, or even other shaped profiles, e.g., heart shapes, simply have an extension with an aperture, or eyelet, to receive a lowermost tied end of the tether. It would be desirable for a balloon display rack to accommodate such balloon weights and provide a convenient, easy-to-use location for retailers to mount inflated novelty balloons in a way that facilitates viewing of the graphics on each balloon""s faces. The Premium Ribbon Weight(trademark) device also has such an eyelet integral with the spool-shaped disc, which could be used for tying additional balloons to the weight, or to hook the balloon weight onto certain conventional balloon racks.
A device for displaying lighter-than-air novelty balloons includes an elongated base with a rear wall and a front wall extending therefrom to form a channel for receiving and retaining balloon weights. At least one of front and rear walls are flexible with respect to the other. A gap between the upper edge portion of the front wall and the upper edge portion of the rear wall, which has a smaller width that the base of the channel receives and retains balloon weight in a resilient manner. The outer side of the base is adapted to being attached to a display object by an adhesive, a magnetic member, or fasteners. The channel is formed from a plastic material and attached to a display object.
A tree-stand type display rack for displaying lighter-than-air novelty balloons includes a plurality of display devices, each display device including an elongated base with a rear wall and a front wall extending therefrom to form a channel for receiving and retaining balloon weights. At least one of front and rear walls are flexible with respect to the other. A gap between the upper edge portion of the front wall and the upper edge portion of the rear wall, which has a smaller width that the base of the channel receives and retains balloon weight in a resilient manner. The outer side of the base is adapted to being attached to the display rack by an adhesive, a magnetic member, or fasteners. The channel is formed from a plastic material. The display rack includes a pole for attaching the plurality of display devices thereto in a vertical or angled orientation. A support base provides support for the pole and maintains the pole in an upright position.
A sign-type display rack for displaying lighter-than-air novelty balloons includes a plurality of display devices, each display device including an elongated base with a rear wall and a front wall extending therefrom to form a channel for receiving and retaining balloon weights. At least one of front and rear walls are flexible with respect to the other. A gap between the upper edge portion of the front wall and the upper edge portion of the rear wall, which has a smaller width that the base of the channel receives and retains balloon weight in a resilient manner. The outer side of the base is adapted to being attached to the display rack by an adhesive, a magnetic member, or fasteners. The channel is formed from a plastic material. The display rack includes a flat surface for attaching the plurality of display devices thereto. The flat surface provides a space for displaying a sign.